Chorzów DL Women — Richardson–Jackson Showdown

Sha’Carri Richardson is now 2–0 against Shericka Jackson this season, with an aggregate 0.11 separating them. (JIRO MOCHIZUKI)

CHORZÓW, POLAND, July 16 — In a matchup between the two hot women’s 100 hands of the moment at the Skolimowska Memorial, Sha’Carri Richardson for a second time this season dispatched Olympic and World Champs silver medalist Shericka Jackson.

The pair were timed in 10.76 and 10.78 as the American closed down the Jamaican 200 world champ’s mid-race lead with a powerful finish over the final 30m and an all-but-absent lean at the line.

During the DL’s early-July pause, at their national championships the two sprinters had stoked anticipation. First on July 06 USA champ Richardson had streaked Hayward Field’s straight for a 10.71 heat win and the world lead. The next day in the Jamaican final, Jackson went 0.06 faster with 10.65.

Before their race here, Jackson commented on her swift PR, “As I said at the Jamaica Trials, this was to focus on the 100 and I think I mastered that at the Trials. So it’s just building from here.”

Jackson, who only took up the 100 in earnest in ’21 after 7 years as a 400 force, added, “I don’t limit what I’m capable of, not because I just started sprinting probably 2 years ago. I think I am capable of anything. And as I said, once Coach [Stephen Francis] and I work on the weak part and continue to maintain the strong part, I think anything is possible.”

On this humid, hot — mid-to-high 80s (30C and above) — evening the only thing Jackson could not do was outlast Richardson.

The race brought a thrill for the home crowd too as Polish lightning-starter Ewa Swoboda tore out of the blocks quickest, with Jackson to her immediate right also sharp with her getaway. By 60m the Jamaican had a clear lead but then Richardson came whooshing like a comet.

A close photo read was required, just to be sure, and Richardson danced and smiled before the crowd of 23,000 when the result flashed up officially.

The Richardson 100 head-to-head count now has them knotted at 3–3, including the American’s 10.76–10.85 Doha DL win in May.

Swoboda, essaying her best yet 100, rolled through the 11-flat barrier for the first time for 3rd in 10.94. Swoboda’s burst into tears of joy over the time belied her “runnin’ gun” aesthetic (Swoboda sports a large pistol tattooed on her right biceps).

The Pole’s breakthrough in the meet’s final running event nicely bookended the evening’s DL events program, which began with a PR win for 400 specialist compatriot Natalia Kaczmarek. The 25-year-old owner of two Tokyo 4×4 medals in the mixed and standard baton events stuck closest to Lieke Klaver’s tear through the first 200 in 24.6. Kaczmarek split 25.0.

Klaver reached 300 in the lead at 36.0 but Kaczmarek was just a step behind and took ownership on the straight to finish 2m up on the Netherlands quartermiler, 49.48–49.81. Both times were PRs, in Kaczmarek’s case by 0.46, and left Tokyo and Oregon22 silver medalist Marileidy Paulino never in it at 50.00.

“I expected a PB, but not a huge one like this and certainly not the win,” Kaczmarek said. “The plan today was not to start the race too fast. In earlier races this season I was going out too fast and lacked the finish. Things looked good in training, but I was not quite able to translate it into competition.

“Now things finally worked out. I was surprised to be caught by the athlete behind me on the curve, but I was able to respond in the final straight.”

Kaczmarek’s new PR instantly brought questions about her prospects for bettering the fabled 49.28 national record of Irena Szewińska, a WR when the Polish icon recorded it to win Olympic gold in ’76.

“Yes, I am only 0.2s away from the national record now,” Kaczmarek said, “but I do not have the strength to talk about that right now.”

On the field Yulimar Rojas produced a wonderful TJ series with 3 jumps of her first 5 above 14.70 (48-2¾) and in the final round bounded out to 49-9¾ (15.18) to add 2cm to her yearly world lead. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk had a so-so day until she got close-ish on her final jump at 48-2¾.

Middle distance competition was fierce, highlighted by an Ethiopia-dominated 1500 that was not part of the DL program. Hirut Meshesha’s 3:54.97 moved her to No. 9 on the all-time list. In 2nd Birke Haylom, 17, motored 3:54.93. That was good for No. 10 all-time and a World Junior Record in T&FN’s book though not WA’s, and a 2.73 improvement on Haylom’s WYR.

Following near at hand were Diribe Welteji (3:55.08 to move to No. 12 on the ATL after leading at 1200) and Worknesh Melese (3:57.00 PR). Linden Hall’s 3:57.27 in 5th was an Australian Record.


CHORZÓW WOMEN’S RESULTS

100(0.2): 1. Sha’Carri Richardson (US) 10.76; 2. Shericka Jackson (Jam) 10.78; 3. Ewa Swoboda (Pol) 10.94 PR; 4. TeeTee Terry (US) 10.99; 5. Daryll Neita (GB) 11.01; 6. Anthonique Strachan (Bah) 11.05; 7. Gina Lückenkemper (Ger) 11.09; 8. Zoe Hobbs (NZ) 11.15.

400: 1. Natalia Kaczmarek (Pol) 49.48 PR; 2. Lieke Klaver (Neth) 49.81 PR; 3. Marileidy Paulino (DR) 50.00; 4. Candice McLeod (Jam) 50.19; 5. Sada Williams (Bar) 50.34; 6. Victoria Ohuruogu (GB) 50.48; 7. Lynna Irby-Jackson (US) 50.92; 8. Martina Weil (Chl) 51.07 NR.

800: 1. Mary Moraa (Ken) 1:56.85; 2. Halimah Nakaayi (Uga) 1:57.78 NR; 3. Natoya Goule-Toppin (Jam) 1:57.90;

4. Sage Hurta-Klecker (US) 1:58.09 (AL);

5. Abbey Caldwell (Aus) 1:58.48 PR; 6. Anita Horvat (Slo) 1:58.94; 7. Renelle Lamote (Fra) 1:59.30; 8. Sofia Ennaoui (Pol) 1:59.82;… rabbit—Aneta Lemiesz (Pol) (57.08).

Non-DL 1500: 1. Hirut Meshesha (Eth) 3:54.87 PR (9, x W);

2. Birke Haylom (Eth) 3:54.93 WJR, WYR (old WJR 3:56.98 Faith Kipyegon [Ken] ’13—inferior to WA-ratified 3:51.34 not recognized by T&FN) (old WYR 3:57.66 Haylom ’23) (10, x W);

3. Diribe Welteji (Eth) 3:55.08 PR (12, x W) (3:09.42); 4. Worknesh Melese (Eth) 3:57.00 PR; 5. Linden Hall (Aus) 3:57.27 NR; 6. Melissa Courtney-Bryant (GB) 3:58.01 PR; 7. Jemma Reekie (GB) 3:58.65 PR; 8. Gaia Sabbatini (Ita) 4:01.24 PR; 9. Katharina Trost (Ger) 4:02.32 PR; 10. Kristiina Mäki (CzR) 4:03.27; 11. Claudia Bobocea (Rom) 4:03.80; 12. Agathe Guillemot (Fra) 4:05.89; 13. Erin Wallace (GB) 4:06.29 PR;… rabbit—Lydia Lagat (Ken) (59.53, 66.05 [2:05.58]).

3000: 1. Freweyni Hailu (Eth) 8:26.61 PR; 2. Lilian Rengeruk (Ken) 8:27.80 (5:44.41); 3. Lemlem Hailu (Eth) 8:29.43 PR; 4. Teresia Gateri (Ken) 8:29.48 PR; 5. Margaret Ekidor (Ken) 8:31.45 PR; 6. Sarah Chelangat (Uga) 8:35.82; 7. Agate Caune (Lat) 8:39.78 NR; 8. Mekides Alemshet (Eth) 8:41.57 PR; 9. Elly Henes (US) 8:42.81; 10. Joselyn Daniely Brea (Ven) 8:43.26 NR;… rabbit—Tigist Gezahagn (Eth) (2:47.51).

100H(0.9): 1. Tobi Amusan (Ngr) 12.34; 2. Keni Harrison (US) 12.35; 3. Nia Ali (US) 12.38; 4. Megan Tapper (Jam) 12.49; 5. Danielle Williams (Jam) 12.55; 6. Tia Jones (US) 12.57; 7. Alaysha Johnson (US) 12.58; 8. Pia Skrzyszowska (Pol) 12.67; 9. Marione Fourie (SA) 12.73

(best-ever mark-for-place: 3, 6–7, 9)

Field Events

HJ: 1. Iryna Herashchenko (Ukr) 6-6 (1.98) (6-¾, 6-2¼, 6-3½, 6-4¾, 6-6, 6-7 [xxx]) (1.85, 1.89, 1.92, 1.95, 1.98, 2.01 [xxx]); 2. Nicola Olyslagers (Aus) 6-6 (6-2¼, 6-3½, 6-4¾, 6-6 [3], 6-7 [xxx]) (1.89, 1.92, 1.95, 1.98 [3], 2.01 [xxx]); 3. Yuliya Levchenko (Ukr) 6-6 (6-¾, 6-2¼, 6-3½, 6-4¾ [3], 6-6 [3], 6-7 [xxx]) (1.85, 1.89, 1.92, 1.95 [3], 1.98 [3], 2.01 [xxx]); 4. Angelina Topić (Ser) 6-4¾ (1.95); 5. Morgan Lake (GB) 6-3½ (1.92); 6. Lamara Distin (Jam) 6-2¼ (1.89); 7. Nadezhda Dubovitskaya (Kaz) 6-2¼; 8. Kateryna Tabashnyk (Ukr) 6-2¼; 9. Eleanor Patterson (Aus) 6-2¼.

TJ: 1. Yulimar Rojas (Ven) 49-9¾ (15.18) (WL) (47-4¼, 48-6¾, f, 48-2¾, 48-9, 49-9¾) (14.43, 14.80, f, 14.70, 14.86, 15.18);

2. Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (Ukr) 48-2¾ (14.70); 3. Leyanis Pérez (Cub) 48-1¾ (14.67); 4. Liadagmis Povea (Cub) 47-11¾ (14.62); 5. Shanieka Ricketts (Jam) 47-9¼ (14.56); 6. Thea LaFond (Dom) 47-4¼ (14.43); 7. Keturah Orji (US) 46-1½ (14.06); 8. Tori Franklin (US) 44-3¼ (13.49).

Non-DL HT: 1. Brooke Andersen (US) 247-4 (75.40); 2. Janee’ Kassanavoid (US) 243-8 (74.27); 3. Sara Fantini (Ita) 239-4 (72.96); 4. Bianca Ghelber (Rom) 232-7 (70.89); 5. Malwina Kopron (Pol) 225-6 (68.73).

JT: 1. Haruka Kitaguchi (Jpn) 219-11 (67.04) NR (WL) (210-4, 201-9, 205-11, f, 215-11, 219-11) (64.12, 61.49, 62.76, f, 65.82, 67.04);

2. Mackenzie Little (Aus) 211-7 (64.50); 4. Nikola Ogrodníková (CzR) 198-8 (60.55); 5. Liveta Jasiūnaitė (Lit) 198-3 (60.43); 6. Sigrid Borge (Nor) 197-10 (60.31); 7. Kelsey-Lee Barber (Aus) 193-8 (59.02).